[Murphys Dad]

Try the crate, and the leash... but I wouldn't ever leave her there untied. Don't forget, she is a beagle.... Why not using a doggy seat belt?

 

[Murphys Dad]

Please, please do not have little Dixie ride in the back of your truck! :nono5: No matter how closely you watch her, there's always a strong possibility of her jumping out or falling or being thrown out if you have to brake suddenly. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif

This is a family friendly forum, so I can't say what Dusty & I say when we see unsecured dogs in the backs of pickups. Unfortunately, it's a common practice here, too. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/mad.gif

If she must ride in the back, please put her in a crate that's firmly secured. But, why not let her ride shotgun in the cab? Okay, I'm getting off my soapbox now. :soapbox:

 

[Murphys Dad]

Because I feel so strongly about dogs riding unrestrained in the back of pickups, I'm going to take the time to type this Dear Abby column that I have in my files.
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Loss of dog high price for bitter lesson
DEAR ABBY: I found my dog, "Belle," last year at the pound. We bonded instantly, and I knew I had to take her. She was sweet, funny and fearless.

I remembered the truck commercials on TV where the message was dogs love trucks. Belle was no exception. The day I bought my used pickup, she hopped into the bed and was ready to go. It seemed that half the vehicles I saw growing up were old pickups with dogs -- always unrestrained.

At first, there were short trips to the store or on a back road. But after a month, we got more adventurous. Sometimes Belle would get excited and lean over and snap at passing cars. That should have warned me, but at the time I though it was funny. It never occurred to me to be concerned. Not until she fell out.

I watched in the mirror as she tumbled to the road. Belle survived the fall and started to get up, but before she could get out of the way, an oncoming car hit her.

It was stupid, awful and completely unexpected. And it could have been prevented. A simple harness, or better yet, keeping my beautiful Belle in the cab would have saved her life.

Now, because of a stupid, macho image I had of a man, his dog and his truck, I have lost a beloved friend. Please, Abby, warn your readers that if they have a pet they care about, not to allow it to ride unrestrained in a truck bed.
GRIEVING IN LEXINGTON, KY

DEAR GRIEVING: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your beloved pet. I'm printing your reminder for the benefit of other pet owners, but I would like to extend it. I frequently see young children standing on the seats of vehicles driven by their mothers, while Mom chats away on her cell phone. I have also seen pets and people riding unrestrained in the backs of open trucks. It takes only moment for an accident to happen. These kinds of accidents can be life-altering or fatal. So please, folks, use a little restraint -- the kind that buckles.
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This column is more powerful than anything I can say.